ShadowClan's Saviour
by Tesiva Fox
Summary: Please read & review! :  I don't own anything! all rights go to Erin Hunter and their amazingness. Thanks to those who read and were avid fans of the parody, there will be more chapters just keep your pelts on ;D
1. Chapter 1

** Pantherstrike's paws thudded against the forest floor as he ran. Blood pounded through his ears and his paws were numb from impaling them on rocks. He turned his head but did not break pace. Onethorn and his clanmates were still persuing him. Pantherstrike had been out late taking a walk to clear his head after the death of his sister, Patchfoot, when a RiverClan warrior attacked him. Soon at least seven more shining oily pelts came crashing through the undergrowth, and Pantherstrike fought his attacker off quickly and ran. Now he was on his way back to the ShadowClan camp. He dashed into the clearing and yowled, the cats that were on guard bolted after him, confused. **

"**Pantherstrike, what's wrong?" asked Deadwing, a big dark furred tabby.**

**Blackstar, ShadowClan's leader, was the first to emerge from his den above the HighHill, his pelt bristling.**

"**Blackstar! I was on my way back to camp when I was attacked!" Pantherstrike meowed, alarmed.**

"**Pantherstrike, who attacked you?" asked the leader.**

"**I – it was RiverClan warriors... I threw one off and fled back here, because this is where the rest were headed." He stammered. **

"**Those disgusting fish-pelts! How dare they try and breach our territory!" Growled Blackstar. Just as he bounded down from the hill, the RiverClan warriors bolted through the gorse tunnel and ambushed the few cats in the clearing. Blackstar threw his head up and yowled a battle cry in rage, and flung himself at a tortoiseshell RiverClan warrior. Pantherstrike looked around the clearing, tumbling masses of screeching fur dotted the camp. He heard a cry from the nursery and bolted across the clearing toward the noise. A RiverClan warrior was attacking a queen! Her kits wailed and mewled for help. Pantherstrike raised his paw, unsheathed his claws, and struck the intruder. He tumbled across the nursery and Pantherstrike clawed at his stomach, tearing the flesh. The cat writhed in pain as the furious ShadowClan cat tore at his pelt.**

"**You have no quarrel with these kits, do not touch them!" He hissed.**

**The RiverClan warrior battered at his belly with his hind legs, scratching him. Once the warrior realized he didn't have a chance, he retreated out of nursery and out of the camp. **

"**Oh thank you Pantherstrike, I thought we were finished." The white she-cat meowed, licking her fear-numbed kits.**

"**Of course, Snowhawk." Nodded Pantherstrike.**

**As he reentered the battle in the clearing, he saw more RiverClan cats came and the ShadowClan warriors were becoming out numbered. He saw Darkpaw fighting two RiverClan apprentices. He didn't stand a chance. He hadn't been an apprentice for long, and these cats looked like had been for at least a moon. Pantherstrike grabbed one by its scruff and sent it rolling across the clearing. The apprentice tumbled into another RiverClan cat, giving his denmate Scorchleaf an advantage on her opponent. The sounds of pain and terror rang in the clearing, and it seemed Shadowclan was losing. As if it were a gift from StarClan, the three warriors who were patrolling the territory returned. Crystalpelt, Ravenpoppy and Lakefall darted into the clearing and joined the fight leveling the battlefield a bit more. Pantherstrike yowled a thanks to the starry sky and rejoined in the action. He glanced around after fighting off Rockfoot, and noticed a clump of fur unmoving in the clearing. He limped toward it and bile rose in his throat. One of his oldest friends Toaddapple was dead. While he just wanted to mourn, anger stirred in his stomach like wind in a storm and he attacked Toaddapple's killer. What seemed like a moon later, ShadowClan drove the last fighting cat, the leader of RiverClan, out. **

"**Blackstar, don't think this is the last you'll see of us!" Hissed Mothstar as she lashed her tail and dashed out of the tunnel. **


	2. Chapter 2

The ShadowClan cats cheered in triumph after the sound of retreating RiverClan cats faded. Now they needed to assess the damage. The battered cats looked over their bodies for wounds as the Medicine Cat Silversand emerged from her den, mouth full of herbs, and examined cats. Pantherstrike wandered back to Toaddapple's body and lie down, pressing his nose into his friend's stiff dried-blood-coated fur and sighed. _StarClan, take care of him, please._ He prayed. His ears twitched at the sound of an approaching cat. "Pantherstrike... I'm so sorry, we will all miss him, he was a great warrior and StarClan is lucky to have him." He heard Swifttail mew softly, brushing her silver tabby pelt against his side.

"This wasn't necessary. Why does RiverClan want our land? They like the water, and hate the pines of our forest. There was no reason he had to die like this." Pantherstrike sighed. He felt the she-cat's tail brush his back.

"You know this is how he wanted leave us, Pantherstrike. A warrior swears to protect his clan, at the cost of his own life, no matter how senseless the battle; you know this. He died an honorable warrior of ShadowClan, be proud of him." She mewed.

He knew she was right. Toaddapple did die with honor. He slowly stood and shook the dreary feeling from his pelt, and walked toward the rest of his clanmates. As Silversand patched the wound on his neck, he looked up to see Blackstar standing on the Highhill.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Highhill for a clan meeting." He announced. Once the clan settled in, he began.

"Tonight RiverClan has breached our trust and territory. What they did was unacceptable and they will not try and shame us in this way again." He growled, pacing back and forth at the top of the hill, lashing his tail. Growls and meows sounded in agreement.

"They have taken the life of a fellow Clanmate and warrior, Toaddapple. Will we avenge him in the name of ShadowClan?" Asked Blackstar. Fierce screeches of approval errupted from the gathered cats around Pantherstrike, his call was the loudest.

"Should RiverClan attempt to attack ShadowClan again, grant no pleas of mercy. Do not slaughter them but should they try to kill you, you know what needs to be done." He announced. This fueled the flames of anger in each of the apprentices and warriors. Pantherstrike was glad his leader knew when enough was enough. Once the clan settled down Blackstar spoke again.

"But... not all is bad. Tonight we will make a new warrior. I know he is very young, but his bravery and skill in battle has earned him this early promotion." He said. "Lakefall, are you satisfied that this apprentice is ready to become a warrior?" He asked the gray tom, who was sitting next to a black-pelted-tabby.

"Yes, he is ready." Lakefall replied.

"I Blackstar, leader of ShadowClan call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. he has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn." He meowed. "Darkpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend this clan, even at the cost of your life?" He asked the sleek apprentice.

He looked over at his mentor and turned back to Blackstar. "I do."

Blackstar took a deep breath, and raised his head to the stars, so their warrior ancestors could hear the ceremony. "Then by the powers of Starclan I give you your warrior name. Darkpaw, from now on, you will be known as Darkclaw. ShadowClan welcomes you as a full warrior." He meowed.

Cheers came from the cats below and Pantherstrike watched as Darkclaw descended down Highhill to be praised and congragulated by his Clanmates. He looked around the clearing and saw a shining, watery shape throw its head up in a soundless cry of happiness and pride. The figure turned its burning white gaze to Pantherstrike, and nodded before it's shimmering pelt disappeared into the night. Butterflies fluttered in his stomach because he knew it was Toaddapple. Swifttail purred and nudged him with her side, bringing his attention back to the gathering of the clan. As the clan disparsed into their dens for the night, and Darkclaw took his place at the center of the camp for his vigil; Pantherstrike padded into the warriors den and shut his eyes, wishing for sleep, and soon enough the familiar numbing of tiredness and unconsciousness washed over him.


	3. Chapter 3

Cats ran around, panicked, one by one fading. Pantherstrike ran toward several familiar faces, each one disappearing when he got close, leaving behind only their cries. Blackstar sat with his head down in the center; the others taking no notice, but weaving around him. His claws, normally sharp, were dulled and his powerful shoulders seemed to tense while his face was fraught with sadness. Fear and confusion gripped Pantherstrike's heart when he saw his brave leader in this state. A hill of crushed bones cemented together by dry blood seemed to appear out of no where. Pantherstrike watched Blackstar for any signs of a reaction. The leader just raised his head and his usually fierce eyes were unusually filled with tears as Pantherstrike followed his gaze to the top of the hill. There stood Mothstar, blood thirsty and crushing Blackstar's sister, Littletree, under one of her paws. The cats around him seemed to fall father into their frenzy at the sight of the RiverClan leader. She suddenly looked at him, baring her teeth and snarling loudly. The black warrior tore his gaze from hers and looked to his side. Toaddapple's watery, sparkling silhouette glared back at her. Unmoving he began to speak.

"Close your eyes my friend." He commanded. Hesitating, the black warrior closed his eyes and allowed the vision to flood his mind.

There was a panther, and some sort of moth. The panther slid through the shadows, hunting the moth, determined to catch it. But the cat lunged at the moth, and the shadows that once protected him vanished, and he was revealed to the moth. It fluttered out of the way and the big cat roared in sorrow as it was plunged into a river of which was impossible to swim, even for the giant cat. He drowned, and the shadows seemed to die with him. The scene seemed to replay a few times before Pantherstrike's eyes, each time filling the warrior with grief for the cat. But on the fifth time, the scene played out differently. The cat still hunted the moth in the shadows, but there was an owl. This time the panther nodded to the owl and he leaped as the owl swooped, leaving the moth no way of escaping. Together they destroyed the moth, and the river filled in with dirt as the cat landed where it had been flowing. The cat yowled in triumph, and the shadows seemed to rejoice alongside him.

The vision ended. Pantherstrike found himself back in his nest inside the warriors den. The sun was rising. He stood and stretched. Only two or three nests were empty. He padded out into the misty sunshine of the morning. A lot of cats believe ShadowClan values darkness and death over all things – They couldn't be more wrong. The smokey black tom loved the feel of the foggy mist against his pelt and the smell of the pines that surrounded his clanmates and himself. But he needed to speak with Blackstar and Silversand. As he walked out of the den he saw the elders carrying Toaddapple out of the camp and into the forest, Blackstar watching them leave.

"Listen up, the dawn border patrol will be Scorchleaf, Darkclaw, Ravenpoppy and Battlepaw. Scorchleaf, you lead the patrol." He commanded, and the she-cat nodded. "Pay very close attention at the RiverClan borders, we cannot afford anymore battles on our territory." Meowed the ShadowClan deputy, Crowfrost. The dawn patrol stood at the tunnel waiting for Darkclaw to arrive, and once he joined them they trotted out the gorse tunnel behind Scorchleaf and out into the pines.

"Now we need a hunting patrol." Crowfrost surveyed the remaining warriors. "Alright Crystalpelt, Deadwing and Littletree. Deadwing, you lead this patrol." He meowed. The group of cats assembled and left in a way similar to the border patrol. He turned to Swifttail and her apprentice. "Swifttail, you and I will go and train Foxpaw and Sunpaw. Pantherstrike, Lakefall and Raggedjaw, you must stay here to defend the kits and queens should any RiverClan warriors manage to slip past our patrols." He said.

"Those fish-pelts won't get past us! You can smell them ten fox-lengths away!" Sneered Sunpaw.

Blackstar purred; "He's right." He chuckled and strolled over toward his den to lay on the rocks outside it.

As Crowfrost and his group left, Pantherstrike padded over to Blackstar.

"Yes, what is it, Pantherstrike?" Asked a relaxed Blackstar.

"Blackstar, I may not be a Medicine Cat, but I believe I have received a vision from StarClan." He meowed.

"Hmm. Silversand would know if what you say you saw is truly a vision or just a strange dream." He said. "Fetch her and bring her with you to my den, we will discuss the matter inside." He meowed as he stood up and walked toward the brambles that covered his den.

Pantherstrike padded across the clearing and into the Medicine Cat den. His ears lie flat as he shrugged through the rock, but his broad shoulders prevented any luck of fitting inside the store, and called for her. "Silversand? Silversand, I need to talk to you." He meowed anxiously into the herb store.

He heard the rustling of paws on rock and her head popped out, and soon her whole body came through the crack.

"Pantherstrike, is something wrong?" She meowed.

"No, well yes. Actually I- I don't know..." He stammered. "Blackstar is waiting in his den to see us." He managed to get out.

"Oh okay, Pantherstrike." She meowed simply and brushed past the black tom as she left her den. He followed her out and across the camp into Blackstar's den under the Highhill.

"Thank you for coming, Silversand," Started Blackstar. "It seems our friend Pantherstrike here has had a rather... unusual dream." He continued as he glanced at the dark warrior as he stood a tail length away. "And we would like to confirm if this is just a bad dream, or an intricate message from StarClan" He meowed.

Pantherstrike padded toward the leader and medicine cat.

"Right, okay Pantherstrike; so tell me, what happened in this dream?" She meowed.

"Well it began strange, there were cats swarming everywhere in a panic. All ShadowClan. I saw Lakefall, Raggedjaw, Scorchleaf, and so many others. I was scared, they were wailing and crying out for help, but I didn't know what to do, let alone know what was happening." He meowed. Silversand looked puzzled, Blackstar was listening intently. "Then as I ran to ask some of the cats, they disappeared." He meowed, shifting. "Blackstar, you were in the middle of it all," He started, Blackstar's ears seemed to stiffen. And Silversand urged him to continue. " Your head hung low, your claws were dull. Your shoulders were tense. Though you made no sound it seemed the cats knew you were there, and swerved to not run into you. Your eyes seemed to yowl sadness, they were filled with tears." He meowed, watching for a reaction. Blackstar's ears lay flat and he shifted uncomfortably. "Then this hill of dried blood and bones came from no where, and Mothstar was on it. I followed your eyes to the top and you wailed in silent sadness. She had Littletree's head under her paw, and was crushing her. She hissed at you and then turned to me. But a watery figure appeared. It was Toaddapple." He meowed. Silversand was looking troubled, and so was Blackstar. "As she snarled he glared at her and spoke without breaking eye contact. He said 'Close your eyes my friend.' and I did, this strange scene flooded my eyes." Pantherstrike relayed his story about the panther, moth and owl. There was a silence as he finished.

"This is very troubling. Very troubling." Mewed Silversand.

"So what is it? A message?" Asked Blackstar.

"Unfortunately, yes." She sighed.

"Can you be sure?" The leader asked.

"Absolutely. I have no doubts in this." She meowed.

"Can you interpret it?" Asked Blackstar.

"Yes, but I will need time." She replied.

"Very well. Pantherstrike, thank you for bringing this for my attention, and we will all speak again once Silversand can uncover the meaning." He meowed.

The medicine cat and warrior backed out of the den, touched noses, and parted.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Hopefully you liked the prophecy or at least understood it. I'm not to great with them, and continue to read and review please :)**_

_**Disclaimer: i STILL DON'T own any original characters or places, all rights go to Erin Hunter.  
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_**-Silversand POV-  
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As she padded across the clearing, a feeling of unease churned in her stomach. Her ears twitched as she shouldered through the brambles into her medicine den. Tornneck was lying in the nest she prepared for him two days before. He had cut his tail pretty badly, and deeply. She had been out looking for herbs when it occurred, so she wasn't able to help him for some time. Rat bites could really harm a cat. It was times like these when she cursed herself for not choosing an apprentice. Tornneck's tail was beginning to produce an infection. She had been tirelessly helping him in that short amount of time. Tornneck's voice had become raspy. Tornneck isn't an old cat. He is a senior warrior. His name wasn't because of a physical appearance, either. It was because he is a ruthless warrior; feared by other clans. Not because he was an evil cat, but he was a fierce warrior who fought his hardest when he needed too. Silversand always admired him for being a courageous warrior. But he was the sweetest tom to his own kin and clan. Tornneck didn't have kits, but he was a favorite of the clans young.

"Tornneck, how is your tail?" She asked.

"Not getting much better." He sighed.

"I'll get you some poppy seeds, and something to put on your tail." She told him as she padded across the sandy floor of her den and slipped between the crevice into her herb store. Silversand knew his tail wouldn't get better. From the start she had expected it was an inevitable infection, and she would need to remove his tail. She licked her paw and stuck four poppy seeds to it and grabbed a couple marigold leaves and hobbled out of her herb store and back to the waiting warrior. She held her paw out and he reluctantly licked the little seeds off the pad of her foot.

"Make sure you chew those and swallow all of them." She meowed as she moved to his back side to take care of his tail. She only chewed up one of the marigold leaves because she saw no reason to waste herbs when his tail would need to be removed. She picked up the other leaf and hurried back to her store and put it away. Soon after she returned, Tornneck fell asleep. She knew what had to be done. She wrapped her jaw around his tail, and took one swift chomp and his already wounded tail snapped right off. He wailed pitifully in his sleep. She felt sick seeing his dismembered tail on the sandy floor and left it there and rushed into her herb store and wrapped a tail lengths amount of cobwebs around her paw and hurried back to his sleeping body. His wound where his tail once was began to bleed too much and she coated it in cobwebs and pushed her nose into his flank in sympathy. She picked up the tail and quietly trotted down to the dirtplace tunnel and buried it inside.

She trotted out of the camp and once she was out of eye view she plunged through the forest. It felt good to have the moist air running through her fur. She ran until she reached the river and washed her paws in it, and drank out of it to wash her mouth out. She turned and trotted back to the entrance to the camp.

She padded out into the clearing, and was laying down outside her den, enjoying the cool day. As she closed her eyes, Crowfrost's training group was returning. She opened them to see Foxpaw and Sunpaw choosing fresh kill from the small pile, while Swifttail and Crowfrost reviewed their apprentices' training.

"I think it's almost time to assess them, don't you think, Crowfrost?" Asked Swifttail.

"Yes, Foxpaw and Sunpaw are getting to be too big and skilled for being 'paws." Agreed Crowfrost. "Is two days from now a good time?" He asked the silver tabby she-cat.

"Crowfrost, that sounds great to me." She meowed and padded toward the two apprentices to tell them. Silversand's focus turned to her den, Where Tornneck was still sleeping. She stood up and went inside to check on the bleeding. It had stopped for now, but soon she would need to change the dressing. She sighed and walked toward the fresh-kill pile, her mind on the message Pantherstrike had received. _What can it possibly mean?_ She thought to herself. Absent-mindedly picking at the frog between her paws. She had already figured that it was a prophecy, and that Pantherstrike was part of it. No doubt it was a warning of a threat from RiverClan, seeing as the Moth would most likely represent Mothstar.

But the owl. What part was the owl supposed to play? Owls are tricky birds that steal prey from all the clans and have been known to abduct unattentive kits that are alone; they were feared plain and simple. How can an owl help ShadowClan? As she thought it over, the dawn patrols were returning. First to return was the border patrol. She watched as Scorchleaf reported to Crowfrost of their findings, and all seemed to be well. Soon after the morning hunting patrol returned.

Deadwing padded into the clearing; a frog and plump sparrow in his jaws. Following him was Littletree with a squirrel from the territory gained in a fight against ThunderClan. Last to arrive was Crystalpelt. She had four different pieces of prey. ShadowClan was lucky to receive this much healthy prey. Sometimes they ate crowfood, but it was because they had too. But since the clan had trained well for an attack on ThunderClan soil after Firestar denied them territory, they gained enough to add to their hunting grounds. Clans always said the mountain air that swept through the marshes chilled ShadowClan's hearts. They are wrong. ShadowClan wasn't always this way. The clans did infact leave them with the least amount of territory, and it didn't help their reputation that they had such corrupt leaders. They were always said to sing like lions. Why not? Boasting and hard-headedness was all that has kept the clan alive.

Soon her thoughts were once again broken when she heard a panicked yowl and a thought sparked in her mind. _Tornneck_! She lept up and rushed into her den. He was flailing in his nest.

"Where's my tail! My tail's gone! Help me Silversand! Where is it?" He shrieked.

Her heart wrenched at having to tell the warrior that his tail had to be severed.

From all the commotion, Darkclaw, Crystalpelt and Deadwing all rushed into the medicine den, crowding. The she-cat flicked her ears in annoyance at having to bring up the subject infront of so many cats.

"Silversand, what's going on?" Asked Crystalpelt.

"Hang on, Crystalpelt." She mewed irritably. "Tornneck, please calm down for a moment." She pleaded. After several attempts the tabby tom calmed down a bit. "Thank you. Look, you aren't going it like this. But I had to bite off your tail.." She trailed off.

"What! Why? Silversand why did you take away my tail?" He whimpered.

"Tornneck, I'm sorry. It was so badly infected it could have spread to your heart and killed you.." She mewed.

"What's going on in here? Why are my warriors crowded in the medicine den?" Hissed Blackstar.

"Blackstar, we heard Tornneck yowling, and when we came in he was speaking with Silversand." Meowed Deadwing.

"What's wrong with him?" He snapped.

"When the rat shredded his tail the other day, there was nothing I could do because the infection was so deep. So today I gave him poppy seeds and while he was unconcious I bit his tail off." Reported Silversand.

"What do you mean it was so deep that it was necessary to cut off the tail of one of ShadowClan's greatest warriors?" Asked a calmer Blackstar.

"Well, it was spreading and if it were to reach his heart he would die. It was his tail or his life." She mewed.

"Oh. Forgive me, Silversand. I've been under so much pressure lately." He started, then he turned to Tornneck. "Feel better, Tornneck." He meowed.

"It's no problem. Now all of you need to leave. He needs his rest." She commanded. The warriors padded out and into the evening breeze.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather underneath the Highhill for a clan meeting." Called out Blackstar. Silversand woke up Tornneck, and they walked side by side out of the medicine den and into the night air in the clearing. She watched as Tanglekit, Tigerkit, and Dustkit come tumbling out of the nursery with Snowhawk not far behind. "Behave yourselves or we're going back into the nursery." She mewed sternly. "Do you understand?"

"Yes, Snowhawk!" The kits squealed in unison. Their little paws thudding lightly against the pine needles to stand on the outside of the gathered clan. Silversand turned her focus to the warriors emerging from their den, and the elders and apprentices leaving their fresh-kill to join the group.

"We have all heard of the tradgedy that has struck our fellow clanmate, Tornneck. For his valor and service to our clan, and his life is a legend in our clan." Meowed Blackstar. "And so, he is worthy of this rare ceremony. Approach the Highhill, and stand before me." He meowed. Surprised murmers rippled through the clan. Tornneck stiffened, then glanced at Silversand as he approached the hill, his muscles rippling under his pelt, and sat.

"I call upon my warrior ancestors to take away the name of this cat. For it no longer stands for who he is." He started. Shocked murmers sounded in the joined cats, Silversand kept her eyes content on the nameless tabby warrior. "Tornneck, from now on, you shall be known as No-tail." He announced. The still shocked clan called out the warrior's new name. "No-tail! No-tail! No-tail!" they yowled. No-tail touched noses with Blackstar and Crowfrost and padded toward the medicine cat. She touched noses with her old denmate and they sat side by side. As Blackstar began to speak again, she glanced around and saw Pantherstrike staring at her. The message from StarClan burned in her mind as her gaze locked with his.


End file.
